The present device relates to a fishing reel including a drag mechanism which does not act to a spool at the time of the rotation thereof in such a direction as to wind a fishline thereon, but automatically acts to the spool at the time of the rotation thereof in such a direction as to unwind the fishline therefrom.
A conventional fishing reel includes a one-way drag mechanism which does not act to a spool at the time of the rotation thereof in such a direction as to wind a fishline thereon, but automatically acts to the spool at the time of the rotation thereof in such a direction as to unwind the fishline therefrom, as disclosed in the Japan Utility Model Application (OPI) No. 22658/91 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application"). In the drag mechanism, an intermediate gear coupled with a swing member, which is swung by a frictional force as the spool is rotated, is engaged with a gear which is rotated together with the spool, and the former gear is engaged with a drag gear at the time of the rotation of the spool in the fishline unwinding direction and disengaged from the drag gear at the time of the rotation of the spool in the fishline winding direction.
The swing member of the one-way drag mechanism of the conventional fishing reel moves due to the vertical swinging movement of the reel at the time of fishline casting operation so that the intermediate gear collides against the drag gear. This causes problems that a scratch or a flaw is made in the surface of each tooth of the gears to deteriorate the reel in rotation performance and life, and the reel makes an unpleasant clatter.